


a hero has fallen

by narcissacronin



Category: Renegades - Marissa Meyer
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:29:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22023367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/narcissacronin/pseuds/narcissacronin
Summary: hugh and simon tell adrian about georgia :(
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	a hero has fallen

Adrian tilted his head to the side, trying to decide which color marker to use. After a few seconds of thinking over this very pressing decision, he reached for the black one. He set the marker down on the paper and immediately started drawing the figure he had seen in his nightmare.

It wore a long, black cloak, all features shrouded in darkness. Just the thought of it sent chills down Adrian’s spine. Though he had only ever seen the figure in his nightmares, he often found himself fearing that it would harm him or his mom. Many nights he had woken up from one of those nightmares and ran into his mom’s room. She would always hug him and kiss his forehead, saying he could sleep in her room for the night. But tonight...

Tonight was different.

Hours ago, the mighty Lady Indomitable had been called to duty. As usual, Adrian was left with a babysitter. Then an hour passed. Two. Three, yet still no word from her. It was no unusual thing for Georgia to be out this late, but it was strange that she hadn’t so much as sent some sort of message.

Adrian had just jolted awake from another nightmare involving the cloaked figure when a few minutes later, Simon showed up at the apartment. He had ushered Adrian out of bed and helped him pack an overnight bag. Simon then told the babysitter she could leave and paid her. Once the babysitter left, Adrian was taken to the apartment Simon lived with Hugh in.

Now, Adrian sat at their kitchen table, doodling as they talked in the living room. Although their voices were hushed, Adrian could still make out a few sentences here and there—such as, “—should we tell him—” and “No.” Adrian ignored them, though, instead concentrating on his drawing.

“Adrian,” Hugh said, stepping into the kitchen, “it’s getting late, and you should be going to bed soon.”

“Can I finish my drawing first?” Adrian glanced up at him and pouted. “Please?”

Hugh sighed as Simon said, “Sure. But as soon as you’re finished it’s time for you to sleep, okay? Hugh already set up the spare bedroom for you.”

Adrian nodded and returned his focus to the drawing of the figure from his nightmares. Hugh and Simon said goodnight, before retreating to their own room. A few minutes later, Adrian finished his drawing and tiptoed down the hallway to the guest room. 

He yawned as he opened the door and stepped into the dark room, using the light from the hallway to find and turn on the lamp, which sat on the nightstand next to the bed. He crawled into the bed and settled under the covers. Despite how tired he felt, Adrian found it hard to fall asleep, his mind still stuck on the nightmare from earlier. Every time he closed his eyes, darkness encroached his vision and he imagined the cloaked figure tormenting him. But eventually, he fell asleep, dreaming not of the cloaked figure, but rather, his mom.

* * *

Adrian awoke early the next morning feeling disoriented. He quickly sat up in bed and squinted his eyes as he glanced around the room, trying to remember what had happened before he had fallen asleep. Slowly, the memories started to come back.

A sense of dread settled over him as he slipped out of bed and headed towards the kitchen, thoughts still groggy with sleep.

Hugh and Simon were already up and moving about the kitchen, making breakfast, a strange silence hanging over them.

Adrian could sense something was wrong, though he wasn’t quite sure what.

Hugh plastered a smile to his face, though even Adrian could tell it was painfully fake, and said, “Good morning, Adrian.”

Adrian mumbled it back to him and took a seat at the small dining table. A few minutes later, Hugh and Simon sat down, and one of them handed Adrian a plate of scrambled eggs. He wanted to ask about his mom, but Hugh and Simon’s silence unsettled him, so he bit his tongue.

Once they had all finished eating, Hugh gathered up their plates as Simon told Adrian that he and Hugh needed to talk to him. After everything had been cleaned up, Hugh and Simon sat down with Adrian in the living room.

Hugh and Simon exchanged looks, brows furrowed. Finally, Hugh spoke up.

“Adrian,” he began, tears pricking his eyes. “I’m sorry, I have no idea how to tell you this other than that...that...” He cleared his throat and a tear slid down his cheek. “Adrian, your mom’s dead.”

Adrian blinked at him, mind struggling to process this.

No.

No.

_No._

That couldn’t be true. Surely this was just another nightmare. Any second now Adrian would awake and find himself back in the apartment he shared with his mom, both of them safe and unharmed. He shut eyes then quickly reopened them.

Nothing changed.

Adrian’s lower lip trembled and tears pooled in his eyes. He sunk against Simon and Hugh as they embraced him.

“I know it’s tough,” Simon whispered. “But we’re for you, no matter what.”

Adrian nodded, barely taking in his words. He just cried more and made himself as small as possible.

Georgia Rawles may have been a superhero to many, but to Adrian, she was so much more than that: she was his mother. Her death had carved a deep wound in him, and it was one that would never truly heal.


End file.
